The Delhi Police received a mail from a terrorist organization, on Tuesday evening, threatening to blow up the Lajpat Nagar market within five days. The mail also threatened of blasts in at least five more places.

Reacting to the mail, reportedly sent out by Al Jawahari group, the Delhi Police conducted a mock drill in the Lajpat Nagar market on Wednesday “to check the preparedness of various teams”. At 12 pm, police teams swarmed into the area. Information about a bomb blast in the market was transmitted via the wireless system.

“Several police teams with bomb squad and dog squad officials were rushed to the spot, with back-up ambulances. Police team evacuated the market and combing the area. Shoppers and shop owners were informed that it was a mock drill,” a senior police officer said.

Senior police officers, including Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast), Shalini Singh and Joint Commissioner of Police (South), Ajai Kashyap visited the spot.

According to police officers in Lajpat Nagar police station, a meeting was called in the office of the Assistant Commissioner of Police on Tuesday evening at 5 pm and all five market associations were asked to attend.

A market association member said, “The police told us that they had received a mail from a terrorist group. The mail said that a bomb blast would take place in the market in five days, in addition to various blasts in five other places in Delhi.”

The member said that cops specifically told them that “Bacha sakte ho to bacha lo” was written in the mail. Shop owners were asked to be vigilant and were asked to keep a lookout for possible suspects.

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